1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a software license control system and the equipment for controlling a license for software, such as application program(s) used on a computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, various techniques to control a license (official permission) for software (application programs used on a computer) have been developed, and license control has become complicated. Accordingly, an environment to run a license confirmation program and to operate the correspondent equipment is considered to be built up, whereby a user who bought a software can run the software.
As a system to control a license for software, the so-called network license system, node lock license system, and user license system are available. The operations of these license control systems will be briefly discussed below.
The network license system is applied to a system in which a plurality of computers (machines) are connected to be able to communicate with each other through a network. A license confirmation program is always on standby in one of the machines that is designed to function as a server. When a client starts software, the software accesses the license confirmation program in the server. The accessed license confirmation program checks the operational environment on the basis of information transmitted from the software of the client. If the operational environment is proper, the license confirmation program gives permission to operate to the client software.
As shown in FIG. 20, license confirmation (license collation) is accomplished between a server 100 and a client 200 in a network as follows.
On starting the server 100, the system is set so that the license confirmation program can be executed.
When the client 200 starts the software, a license confirmation request program in the software starts running. This license confirmation request program transmits a license confirmation request as well as a license information file that the client 200 holds to the server 100 via the network.
On the other hand, when the server 100 receives the confirmation request, a standby license confirmation program is started. This license confirmation program checks (collates) the operational environment by referring to the license information file transmitted from the client 200 and confirms the license. The server 100 transmits the confirmation result to the client 200 through the network. If the collation result (checking the operational environment, is proper, the server 100 sends permission to start the software to the client 200.
Thus, in the network license system, if the number of the users is within a number predefined in the license information file, a plurality of computers (clients 200 and server 100) can start the software at the same time.
The node lock license system controls a license by means of a host ID (host identifier). This system has no limits to the user's name or the number of the users, as long as the software is executed by the host. In other words, the software is executed only on the computers registered in advance. Therefore, in order that this system executes one piece of software on a plurality of computers at the same time, all the computers that use the software are must apply for and acquire the licenses.
The user license system controls a license by means of a user ID (user identifier). In this system, only the users registered in advance can execute the software.
The user license system employs the same aspect as that of the network license system as described above with reference to FIG. 20, however, as shown in FIG. 21, this system automatically registers the user who first executed the software and issues the user ID. In other words, the user who can use the software is registered on starting the software.
When the client 200 thereafter starts the software, the license confirmation requestprogram transmits a license confirmation request as well as the user ID to the server 100 through the network. The server 100 checks (collates) the user ID by the license confirmation program to confirm the license. When the server 100 finds that a user other than a registered user is executing the software by checking the user ID, it issues a warning.
Therefore, in the user license system, one user can start and execute the software on any computer in the network.
Therefore, in the user license system, if the number of the users is within a number predefined in the license information file, a plurality of computers (clients 200 and server 100) can start the software at the same time.
Conventionally, when a user applies to issue, modify, or update a license, the user requests the center for issuing a license password (license control center) to issue, modify, or update a license by electronic mail, a facsimile, and so on.
When the center for issuing a license password receives a request to issue a license, it confirms the application content from the user. If the application content is proper, the center for issuing a license password issues and transmits a license information file as well as a password to the user. If the user adopts, for example, a network file system (hereunder, abbreviated as NFS), when a license information file is transmitted back to the request to issue the license, the license information file is installed into a file server, and the license information file is shared by a plurality of computers in the NFS.
When the center for issuing a license password receives a request to modify or update a license, it confirms the content of the request from the user. If the content is proper, the center issues and transmits a new license information file to the user. If the user adopts, for example, the NFS, when a new license information file is transmitted back in response to the request to modify or update the license, the old license information file is deleted from the file server and the new license information file is installed into the file server, and the license information file is shared by a plurality of computers in the NFS.
The center for issuing a license password (license control center) controls, as to issuing, modifying, and updating, only the information when it receives therequest to issue, modify, andupdate from a user.
However, in the foregoing network license system, it is necessary for a user to start the license confirmation program, when the system to use the software starts the server, and to access the license confirmation program in the server and request confirmation of the license, when the client starts the software; and therefore, the user has to bear a heavy load. Further, since the license confirmation program is always in operation on the network by means of the client/server technique, the system is apt to be affected by the load on the network and the operational condition of the server, and in addition, the user has to control the license confirmation program.
In the foregoing node lock license system, the user has to make fewer settings to the system. However, when a plurality of computers use one piece of software at the same time, the user has to apply and acquire as many number of the licenses as the number of the computers, which is very troublesome.
In the foregoing user license system, the license control is performed by the same aspect as that of the network license system; and therefore, this system has completely the same problems as the aforementioned network license system. In addition, one user can start the software on any computer, and the license is likely to be used in fraudulence.
On the other hand, in all the conventional techniques, the license control other than the issue and modification of licenses is assigned to a user, and therefore, a user who bought the software is to control, for example, checking the log relating to the software. Consequently, the seller of the software cannot check the log. In other words, in the conventional license control system, the seller of the software can obtain the log when the license is issued, modified, and updated; however, since the license is collated only in the user's environment, the seller cannot control the log when the software is started.
Further, these techniques use a password file or the license information file to confirm the license. If the user rewrites the file to fraudulently use the software, the seller cannot confirm the fraud because the license control is left to the user.